Liquid heater



Feb. 16 1926.

G. W. COEN LIQUID HEATER Filed Feb. 9, 1924 IIII .IF l

n. mm mm Vw. WU m A TTaAwE f5".

Patented Felse 16, i925.

GARNE'I W. COEN, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

LIQUID HEATER.

Application filed February 9, 1924.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GARNET VJ. COEN, a citizenV of the United States, residing at Pasadena, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Liquid Heaters, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to liquid heaters, and especially to oill heaters such as are 1D employed in conjunction with oil burners andthe like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction of oil heaters, and especially to provide a structure which will permita maximum heat transfer to be obtained hetween the heat-ing medium and the oil or liquid to be heated; high etliciency being obtained in this instance, first, by maintaining the oil in ribbon or film-like conditions during its passage through the heater, second, by maintaining t-he oil in a state of agitation by forcing it through the heater under high velocity, and third, by providing a series of large heating surfaces which the steam or other heating medium employed can etliciently actupon Another object of the invention is to construct a heater which may be readily taken 30 apart for inspection, repairs, etc., but particularly for the purpose of cleaning the same, and which when taken apart will present a series of exposed surfaces readily accessible for cleaning by scraping, brushing, or otherwise.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heater which is simple, compact, suhstantial in construction, and cheap to manufacture, and in which all parts are free to l ixpand without danger of imposing strains on the assembled or connected parts; to provide a series of nested heating compartments alternately presenting oil flow passages and steam heating compartments, and which are so assembled that they are not liable to stick by the formation of carbon or other deposits gV and further to provide a structure which will prevent leakage of steam into the oil new compartments and vice versa.

@ne form which my invention ,may assume is exemplified in the following description `and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the heater partially insection.

i Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing Serial No. 691,676.

the hollow studs whereby the nested units are secured to the bottom head.

Fig. 3 is a detail View of one of the securing studs.

Fig. Ll is a cross section of the `exterior shell taken on line of Fig. 1.

Crude oils such as employed today for fuel purposes under boilers and the like, and particularly crude oils derived from an asphalt base, are becoming thicker and more viscous as time passes due to the greater extraction of gasoline, kerosene, and other by-products. Crude oils of this character when obtained from the refiners are often so thick and heavy that the oil must be heated to a temperature of from 200 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit before the oil is rendered sutliciently liquid to be readily handled and eiciently atomized by the burners. The heating of fuel oil of this character' therefore not only a necessity, due to the reasons specified, but it also presents a diliicult problem in actual practice as the heaters rapidly lose their efficiency due to the formation of deposits of carbon, asphalt, sand, etc., on the surfaces through which the heat transfer takes place. Such deposits are, practically speaking, nonconductors of heat and they form a coating which balies and hardens on the heat transferring surfaces and furthermore gadually clogs the passages through which the oil is forced. Therefore, unless such accumulations or deposits are removed from time to time, the heater will become .fjo ineticient as to he practically useless.

Having thee problems and conditions to encounter. a heater has been developed which is particularly adapted lo handle crude oils such as referred to, and which will efficiently heat a given volume of oil if cleaned from time to time. The main feature of the pres` ent invention is therefore the provision of a heater which permits a maximum heat transfer at all times, and which permits quick and ready dissembly for cleaning whenever necessary.

I have accordingly constructed a heater consisting of an exterior cylinder or shell A, an inner cylinder B, and a pair of intermediate shells C and l). The several shells are supported by a bottom head E; the extrior shell A being secured thereto by a clamping ring 2 and bolts 3, while the inner and intermediate shells are secured thereto as will hereinafter he described Illu lll)

The exterior shellA is provided with an upper head el, welded or otherwise secured thereto as indicatedat The inner shell or cylinder B is provided witlrupper and lower heads as indicated at 6 and 7 which are both welded thereto as shown at 8.3

The intermediate shell C consists of two annular wall sections 9' and '10 whicliare flanged together at their upper and lower ends as indicated at 11 Vand welded. The intermediate shell' l) siii'iilarly consists of two annularwall sections 12 Vand 13 flanged at their upper and lower ends as indicated at 1l and alsowelded." y

'l` he inteiii'iodiatle shells C and D therefore form annular compartments closed and welded at their upper and lower ends, respectively, and no Vleakage from these compartmentscan take' plaoe ast-hey are provided wiith separatel inlet and discharge pipes connectedv therewith as will heroin` after be described. Steam is introduced inte these compartinents and as they are separated with relation to eachother, and also with relation to the exterior shell A andthe inner'cylinder'B, three oil now passagesa-.re formed as indicated at'15,'16 and 17.

Oil is admitted to the outer passage 15" by means of a tagentiallydisposed inlet pipe 18 ,which is` connected with an oil pump or other suitable source otsupply. r1`he oil passes upwardly through the annular passage 15 and then enters the second annular passage 16, through the upper end, inthe The oil then liowsy vdownwardly' through thisv annular passage direction of arrowl a.

and itis vthen transferred to the innermost passage 17 where-"it again flows upwardly, being finally permitted to discharge in the direction ot arrow Z) througha discharge pipey 19 secured and welded in the upper head member 4.1 y 5 A series of cored passages' 20 in the lower head ymember E form communication'. be-A tween the lower ends of the oil4 now pas sages 16 and 17, and to prevent the oil discharging from thefupper end of the oil flow passage 15 from entering the discharge pipe .19,v a combined detlecting and guiding plat-e 21 is employed. This plate is welded to the upper end of the heating unit C and snugly lits the pipe 19.` It thus serves as a guide and centering member for the heating. unit or intermediate shell C, and it also prei. ents the oil discharging` from tlie upper end of the passage 15 from entering the oil tlow passage17 and the discharge pipe 19. ln otherlwords, theioil istorced to flow downwardly through the passage 16 and as this communicates with the passage 17 through the Vcoredl'ports 20, an upward flow will take place therethrough and the oil will finally enter the lower end and discharge through the pipe 19. A

The intermediate Ashell or heating unit vfrom'theupper end ot the'passage 17 and enter the pipe 19. It will be noted'that no rigid connection is formed between the several unitsand the pipe 19, and vthat tl'iese units will`- tlierefore be tree to riti'iaiid in a vertical direction without imposing angT stress orE load on the adjacent unit.

By referring" to lig. 1 it willV be noted that a wire 25 is spi'ally wound around the exterior of the intermediate heating section v l), and'similarly th at a wireis spi'rallywound eiiteriorot the intermediateheating section C and'als'o: exterior of the innerrheatin'g section `orrdrum B, These wires may be' li'at or round 'and in actual practice are' welded to thev surfaces about which they are'wound. These wires are disposed inthe oil `flow passages and as the passages are fairly restricted in area, it` will be noted that the oil is Ymaintained in a nlm-like condition, and further that it llows in a helical path when flowingl through the several passages. This'is important as it maintains the oil in a conditionef high velocity and insures agitatioii'th'ereot so that all parts ot the oil film will be equally heated. The

pressure exerted lbyA the oil feed' puinp ofA course maintains the velocity, but this velocity would rapidly drop in the'oil tlow passages unless the helical passages formed byv the wiresQ were'not provided.`

The diameter ot the wires is'slightly less than the greatest'diinension ot thepassages in which they are mounted. A.' certain amount ot oil is therefore permitted to bypass from one helix to another, but this is not vdetrimental the greater volume oit oil will be maintained intits helical path. The clearance formed between the'wires and the adjacentr units is import-ant as the small amount of oil by-passingat all times pre` vents accumulation et carbon oi' asphalt on the adjacent' surfaces, and thereby prevents` sticking ot one unit l with relation to the other whenV diss'einbling the same.

The units when' assembled are secured with relation to each other` and the lower head E in tliefollowing manner:

The exterior shell vA is supported Vby the lower clamping ring l2,7a bracket- Qt, and an upper clampingA bracket 3a. The intermediA ate section D is then inserted, theupper end when inserted being guided by the lower end of pipe 19 and the proper spacing be# tween the intermediate section and the ei:-v

terior shell being maintained by the wire 25.V rllhe second intermediate section Cis then inserted, the upper end being centered and guided by the pipe 19, the proper spacing with relation to the section D being approximately maintained by the exterior wire 25. The inner cylinder or section B is then inserted and its upper end is centered by the pipe 19, it being otherwise held in substantial proper position by the exterior wire 25. The lower head E is then applied, the intermediate section A' being centered with relation thereto by an annular guide flange BO, the intermediate section C by the exterior surface of guide lugs 81, and the inner section or cylinder B by the interior surface of said guide lugs. A gasket is also inserted between the lower flange of the exterior shell A and the bolts 3 are then applied and drawn up tight. Means are also employed for the purpose of drawing the sections B, C and D down into tight engagement with the hea-d E and this is accomplished as follows Each section is provided with two hollow studs, one of which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Two studs are welded into the bottom section 6 of the inner cylinder B, and similarly twov studs to each of the intermediate sections C and D. These studs are indicated at 40, themanner of welding the same to the lower head 6 and the bottom portion of the intermediate sections C and D being' shown in Fig. 2. The studs extend through openings formed in the lower head with which they reg'ister. Each stud is threaded as indicated at 41 and a stuffing gland 42 is carried by the threaded section. These glands when tightened exert a downward pull on the cylinder B and and on the intermediate sections C and D and thus secure them with relation to the lower head. The packing ifserted is at the same time tightened or placed under compression and leakage of oil is preventec.. One hollow stud of each section is connected with a steam inlet manifold as indicated at 43a, while the other stud of each section is connected to a condensate outlet manifold as shown at 43. The studs which form the inlet connections are provided with pipe extensions such as shown at 44 (see F ig. 2). rlhese deliver the steam into the upper ends of the heating compartments C and D and the steam thus graduallyrsettles, as it liberates its heat, in the form of a condensate which is drained through the other hollow studs and discharged through the condensate, manifold shown at 43.

VLeakage of steam from the heating sectionsinto the oil flow passages cannot take place as the upper and lower ends of the heating sections are welded and similarly the hollow studs through which the steam is admitted and the condensate discharged.

Packing between the lower ends of the heating sections and the head E is not required as they are drawn tightly against the head E by means of the studs and the stuiiing glands 4:2, and even though a slight leakage or transfer of oil from one pasasge to the other should take place, it would be of no consequence as the oil could not enter the, steam heating sections and would thus only by-pass from one Aoil flow passage to the other` but as such leakage would be exceedingly small, it would in no way impair the function and eiiiciency of the heater.

F rom the foregoing description it will be readily understood that high eliiciency, as far as heat transfer is concerned, is obtained as the oil ilowing through the heater is niaintained in a` film-like condition and in a high state of agitation due to the velocity maintained and the helical tiow, and also due to the fact that the film is heated from opposite sides, except in the first passage indicated at 15. Steam or condensate cannot escape into the oil flow passages due to the construction of the intern'iediate heating sections and the manner of azilmitting the steam and discharging the condensate; quit-lr removal of the parts is permitted due to the manner of assembling the units; parts may be readily cleaned when dissembled as all surfaces exposed to oil are readily accessible for scraping, brushing and cleaning, and it will also be noted that sticking of one section with relation to the other` is largely prevented by providing ample clearances and by permitting a. slight leakage around the wires, thus preventing carbon formations or steam deposits between the wires and the adjacent units. A liilhile certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that various cliaiures4 in form and proportion may he resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. l similarly wish it understood tuut the mali-- rials and finish of the several pars eniployed may be such as the experience au] judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or if-'arious uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters latent isl. A liquid heater comprising au inner shell closed at the top and bottom, an terior shell spaced therefrom and closed atthe top, a bottom head member forming a closure for the lower end of the exterior' shell and also forming a support for both shells, a pair of annular shells interposed between the inner and outer shells and also supported by the bottom head member, said annular shells being' closed at the top and bottom, means maintaining a predetermined annular spacing between the annular shells and the outer and inner shells respectively to form annular passages therebetween, means for circulating'a heating medium through the annular shells and the inner' shell, and means for directing a tlow of li`q-' uid through the annular passages formed between the several shells.

2. ln a heater of the character described, the combination with a bottomhead mem'- ber, o1" a plurality of annular shells supported thereby, said shells beingl placed one eX- teri'or ot the other and interspaced With relation to each other, a' steam inlet and a condensate outlet pipe extending into each shell and Welded thereto, said pipes extending through the head member and being threaded, and a. nut carried by the threaded l section of each pipe and engageable With the head to secure and dran7 the shells snuge ly against 'the oppositeside ol the head.

3. ln aheater ot the character described', the combination with a bottom head memn ber, of a plurality ol1 annular shells supported thereby, said shells being placed one exterior ot' the other and' interspaced with relation to each other, a steam inlet` and Aa condensate outletv pipe extending into each shell and Welded thereto','said pipes extending through the head' member and being threaded, and a combination nut and stuiting gland vcarried by the threaded portion ot each pipe and enga-geable with the head to secure and draw the shells snugly' against the opposite vslide of the head.

Ll. ln' a heater of the character described,`

the combination with a bottom' head' mem-4 ber, of a plurality of closed shells supported thereby, said shells'being placedv one exterior of the other and interspaced with relation to each other, a steam inlet and a condensate outlet pipe extending into each shell and Welded thereto, said pipes extending through the head member andA being threaded, a combination nut and sluiting gland carried vby the threaded portion of each pipe and engageable with the head to secure and shell and the annular shells, said exterior shellbeing secured to the head member at one end and being provided With an enclos ingv head member Eat the opposite end, an out# let'pipe connected with the last. named head member, said voutlet pipe having an inner eX- tenslion', means for eenterii'ig the inner shell and the annular shells with relation to said outlet pipe, means for directing a flow et liquid through the annular spaces -formed between the respective shells and for direct-v ing the oil aft-er flowing through these pas-v sages to the outlet pipe, and means for circulating steamv through the first named shell and the annular shells.

6. A heater of the character described, comprising a bottom head member, an inner shell cent-rally disposed thereon, said shell being closed at the top and bottom', a pair of' annular shells exterior thereot1 and interspaeed with relation to each other and the inner shell, said annular shells being closed at their top and bottom ends and being also supported. by the bottomhead membra*` anV exterior shell having a top head member formed thereon enclosing all of the shells and being ,itself closed by the kbottom head member, said exterior shell being interspaced with relationto the remaining shells, means'tor securing' the inner shell andthe annular shells to the bottom head member, means for circulating steam' through the 4inner shell andthe annular shells, and means for direeting a flow of liquid through the annular spaces formed by interspacing the shells. l

'7. ln a heater of thecharacter described, the combination with a bottom headv member, otl a plurality ot annular shells supported thereby, said shells being placed one exterior of the otherand interspaced with lation to'each other, asteam inlet and a con densate outletA pil e extending into each shell and Welded thereto, said pipes extend' ig through the head member aud-being thread#y ed, a combination nur and stalling gland carried by the threaded portion ot each pipe and engageable with the head to secure and draw the shells snugly against the opposite side of the head, an exterior shell supported by the bottom head and bolted thereto, said shell being interspaeed vWith relaton to the outermost ot the annular shells and being provided With a top head member so to form a complete enclosuretor all of the shells, and means for directing a llow ot' liquid througlrthe annular' passages formed by inter-spacing the shells.`

GARNET W. COlblt 

